TORONTO, ON, CANADA – 12/4/2017 — Toronto’s leading disability law firm, Share Lawyers, is happy to announce a win for their client, Jonathan, who was denied benefits after the insurance company’s case manager changed.

Millions of people worldwide experience unexplained pain. When managing the physical and emotional effects, it is hard enough to get through the day, let alone focusing on fighting an insurance company.

This was the case for Jonathan, 53 years old, who worked as a flight attendant for over 13 years.

Four years ago, Jonathan began experiencing leg, hip, and foot pain. The extent of his pain made his physically demanding job impossible to do.

Not knowing how long the pain would continue affecting him, Jonathan applied for short-term benefits and was approved. For months, he worked with healthcare professionals to try and diagnose the cause of his pain. With a myriad of possibilities eventually being ruled out, Jonathan was still left without a definitive reason for his condition.

Eventually, he applied for long-term disability benefits. Over the next three years, Jonathan struggled to find any remedies that could relieve his suffering – a great challenge, considering the lack of explanation for his symptoms.

Then last year, out of the blue, Jonathan’s insurance company sent a letter asking him to go to an independent medical examination (IME). His case manager, whom he had been dealing with in the past, had changed.

After going to the IME, the insurance company wrote, saying they believed that Jonathan was able to work in a different capacity. Jonathan knew that was not the case – his pain restricted him both physically and emotionally from working.

“My benefits were cut off within a few days, it felt like I was in a whirlwind. How could this happen?” Jonathan says.

Depression quickly set in while Jonathan was unable to work and left without benefits – a condition that was exacerbated by his physical and financial stress. “I felt hopeless. I thought I would be constant pain and without support for the rest of my life.”

Within a year, Jonathan was bankrupt and had lost his house. Over the holidays, his brother Sam flew from Vancouver, BC to Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario where Jonathan was living. Sam could hardly bear to see his brother in such a state. It was so devastating to see Jonathan suffering and not receiving the benefits he needed to live.

Sam could not accept it was too late for his brother and decided to take action. After researching firms that might be able to help, he found Share Lawyers. It only took one phone call to shed light on the options for Jonathan.

Share Lawyers joined Sam in his resolve to fight for the resources Jonathan needed to live while being unable to work. “The team at Share Lawyers gave me hope,” Jonathan says. They argued that Jonathan was entitled to benefits going back to when he was cut off so abruptly, and into the future because he was unable to work. A settlement was reached that enabled Jonathan to live with financial security and focus on his health. “I still struggle with unexplained pain. But now because of Share Lawyers, and the love of my family, I don’t have to face it alone.”